DirecTV confirms 2 satellites for 4K

DirecTV used International CES in Las Vegas to confirm that it will have two satellites serving its 4K needs across the USA. Philip Goswitz, an SVP at DirecTV, added that one recently-launched satellite is now operational and the other is going up in May, he said.

Goswitz said that the industry needed common standards, and establishing those standards was his company’s main motivation for joining the recently-formed UHD Alliance. All parties offering 4K video products need to agree on quality standards to ensure a consistent experience for viewers. That includes standards for upcoming enhancements like high-data rate video, he said.

Goswitz said movies tend to be among the first types of content to move to new resolution standards. But sports programming is what really moves consumers to adopt higher-definition standards. Helpfully, ESPN parent Disney is a member of the new alliance along with Dolby Labs as well as LG, Samsung, Netflix, Panasonic, Sony, Fox, Warner Bros. and Disney.